Fox Searchlight via Everett Collection/Lionsgate via Everett Collection
Every year, the Academy Awards has the gargantuan task of distilling an entire year of film into a small number of nominations slots for each category, and like every year, this one saw some very deserving films and performances left on the chopping block after the nominations were announced. But the the sheer number and quality of the fantastic films and performances that dotted cinemas last year makes the exclusions from this year's Oscar race sting worse than it has in recent memory. These potential nominees made very strong cases for being recognized by the Academy, but were unfortunately nudged out in favor of other films.
Best PictureInside Llewyn DavisNot nominating the Coen Brothers' beautiful tragicomedy about an artist struggling to keep hold of his artistic integrity is almost a crime, especially when there are only nine nominees listed for Best Picture out of a possible 10.
Best Director Park Chan-wook (Stoker) Director Park Chan-wook imbued his first English language project with a dark and gorgeous imagery that trumps many of the more conventional films nominated in the category, and should have been nominated.
Best Actor James Gandolfini (Enough Said) Gandolfini’s last film is an appropriate swan song that saw the actor breaking out of his Mafioso tough guy holding pattern and portray divorcee Albert with a loveable vulnerability.
Robert Redford (All is Lost) Redford’s battle with the elements had us dazzled, and the emotional heft that is is able to give the film despite the sparse dialogue and even sparser cast list is truly a feat.
Best ActressBrie Larson (Short Term 12) Brie Larson shines in this small story about the wounds we carry, and how difficult it is to truly let someone in to share the pain.
Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha) Gerwig fills Frances Halladay with hope and splendor, as we watch the tale of a young Brooklynite grasping at her dreams of becoming a professional dancer. Dreams that might be just out of her reach.
Supporting ActorJames Franco (Spring Breakers)We wish we lived in a world where the "look at my s**t" scene from Spring Breakers would play during the Academy Awards telecast. Sadly, this is not that world.
Supporting ActressCarey Mulligan (Inside Llewyn Davis)Watching a bristly Carey Mulligan rip into Oscar Issac’s Llewyn was one of the best film related joys in the year of 2013.
Best Original ScreenplayJoel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis)The Coens' whip smart yet deeply pessimistic script fills Inside Llewyn Davis with equal amounts of laughs and pathos.Best Adapted ScreenplayPeter Berg (Lone Survivor)Peter Berg's screenplay understands what it's like to be a soldier fighting for his life, in the middle of a warzone. The film never forgets to make the soldiers actual rounded characters whose interests extend far beyond the battlefield.
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David Mitchell's novel Cloud Atlas consists of six stories set in various periods between 1850 and a time far into Earth's post-apocalyptic future. Each segment lives on its own the previous first person account picked up and read by a character in its successor creating connective tissue between each moment in time. The various stories remain intact for Tom Tykwer's (Run Lola Run) Lana Wachowski's and Andy Wachowski's (The Matrix) film adaptation which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. The massive change comes from the interweaving of the book's parts into one three-hour saga — a move that elevates the material and transforms Cloud Atlas in to a work of epic proportions.
Don't be turned off by the runtime — Cloud Atlas moves at lightning pace as it cuts back and forth between its various threads: an American notary sailing the Pacific; a budding musician tasked with transcribing the hummings of an accomplished 1930's composer; a '70s-era investigatory journalist who uncovers a nefarious plot tied to the local nuclear power plant; a book publisher in 2012 who goes on the run from gangsters only to be incarcerated in a nursing home; Sonmi~451 a clone in Neo Seoul who takes on the oppressive government that enslaves her; and a primitive human from the future who teams with one of the few remaining technologically-advanced Earthlings in order to survive. Dense but so was the unfamiliar world of The Matrix. Cloud Atlas has more moving parts than the Wachowskis' seminal sci-fi flick but with additional ambition to boot. Every second is a sight to behold.
The members of the directing trio are known for their visual prowess but Cloud Atlas is a movie about juxtaposition. The art of editing is normally a seamless one — unless someone is really into the craft the cutting of a film is rarely a post-viewing talking point — but Cloud Atlas turns the editor into one of the cast members an obvious player who ties the film together with brilliant cross-cutting and overlapping dialogue. Timothy Cavendish the elderly publisher could be musing on his need to escape and the film will wander to the events of Sonmi~451 or the tortured music apprentice Robert Frobisher also feeling the impulse to run. The details of each world seep into one another but the real joy comes from watching each carefully selected scene fall into place. You never feel lost in Cloud Atlas even when Tykwer and the Wachowskis have infused three action sequences — a gritty car chase in the '70s a kinetic chase through Neo Seoul and a foot race through the forests of future millennia — into one extended set piece. This is a unified film with distinct parts echoing the themes of human interconnectivity.
The biggest treat is watching Cloud Atlas' ensemble tackle the diverse array of characters sprinkled into the stories. No film in recent memory has afforded a cast this type of opportunity yet another form of juxtaposition that wows. Within a few seconds Tom Hanks will go from near-neanderthal to British gangster to wily 19th century doctor. Halle Berry Hugh Grant Jim Sturgess Jim Broadbent Ben Whishaw Hugo Weaving and Susan Sarandon play the same game taking on roles of different sexes races and the like. (Weaving as an evil nurse returning to his Priscilla Queen of the Desert cross-dressing roots is mind-blowing.) The cast's dedication to inhabiting their roles on every level helps us quickly understand the worlds. We know it's Halle Berry behind the fair skinned wife of the lunatic composer but she's never playing Halle Berry. Even when the actors are playing variations on themselves they're glowing with the film's overall epic feel. Jim Broadbent's wickedly funny modern segment a Tykwer creation that packs a particularly German sense of humor is on a smaller scale than the rest of the film but the actor never dials it down. Every story character and scene in Cloud Atlas commits to a style. That diversity keeps the swirling maelstrom of a movie in check.
Cloud Atlas poses big questions without losing track of its human element the characters at the heart of each story. A slower moment or two may have helped the Wachowskis' and Tykwer's film to hit a powerful emotional chord but the finished product still proves mainstream movies can ask questions while laying over explosive action scenes. This year there won't be a bigger movie in terms of scope in terms of ideas and in terms of heart than Cloud Atlas.
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While recent animated blockbusters have aimed to viewers of all ages starting with fantastical concepts and breathtaking visuals but tackling complex emotional issues along the way Ice Age: Continental Drift is crafted especially for the wee ones — and it works. Venturing back to prehistoric times once again the fourth Ice Age film paints broad strokes on the theme of familial relationships throwing in plenty of physical comedy along the way. The movie isn't that far off from one of the many Land Before Time direct-to-video sequels: not particularly innovative or necessary but harmless thrilling fun for anyone with a sense of humor. Unless they have a particular distaste for wooly mammoths the kids will love it.
Ice Age: Continental Drift continues to snowball its cartoon roster bringing back the original film's trio (Ray Romano as Manny the Mammoth Denis Leary as Diego the Sabertooth Tiger and John Leguizamo as Sid the Sloth) new faces acquired over the course of the franchise (Queen Latifah as Manny's wife Ellie) and a handful of new characters to spice things up everyone from Nicki Minaj as Manny's daughter Steffie to Wanda Sykes as Sid's wily grandma. The whole gang is living a pleasant existence as a herd with Manny's biggest problem being playing overbearing dad to the rebellious daughter. Teen mammoths they always want to go out and play by the waterfall! Whippersnappers.
The main thrust of the film comes when Scratch the Rat (whose silent comedy routines in the vein of Tex Avery/WB cartoons continue to be the series highlight) accidentally cracks the singular continent Pangea into the world we know today. Manny Diego and Sid find themselves stranded on an iceberg once again forced on a road trip journey of survival. The rest of the herd embarks to meet them giving Steffie time to realize the true meaning of friendship with help from her mole pal Louis (Josh Gad).
The ham-handed lessons may drag for those who've passed Kindergarten but Ice Age: Continental Drift is a lot of fun when the main gang crosses paths with a group of villainous pirates. (Back then monkeys rabbits and seals were hitting the high seas together pillaging via boat-shaped icebergs. Obviously.) Quickly Ice Age becomes an old school pirate adventure complete with maritime navigation buried treasure and sword fights. Gut (Peter Dinklage) an evil ape with a deadly... fingernail leads the evil-doers who pose an entertaining threat for the familiar bunch. Jennifer Lopez pops by as Gut's second-in-command Shira the White Tiger and the film's two cats have a chase scene that should rouse even the most apathetic adults. Hearing Dinklage (of Game of Thrones fame) belt out a pirate shanty may be worth the price of admission alone.
With solid action (that doesn't need the 3D addition) cartoony animation and gags out the wazoo Ice Age: Continental Drift is entertainment to enjoy with the whole family. Revelatory? Not quite. Until we get a feature length silent film of Scratch's acorn pursuit we may never see a "classic" Ice Age film but Continental Drift keeps it together long enough to tell a simple story with delightful flare that should hold attention spans of any length. Massive amounts of sugar not even required.
[Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox]

21 Jump Street was a huge hit. Well, not on television, but when they brought the show back as a movie. And there has been talking of making everything from Arrested Development to The Sopranos back to the big screen. So, which shows deserve to be resurrected from the dead or have a second live on the big screen? Here are our 10 picks.
Twin Peaks: I know the classic ABC TV show that crashed and burned more quickly than Glee already got the movie treatment with Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, but isn't it time for some more? What is up with Bob and Agent Cooper and all the other terrors of the Pacific Northwest's most haunted town all these years later. David Lynch is just making insane music videos these days anyway. Back to work!
Small Wonder: This sitcom about a family with a robot daughter was a weekend syndication staple in the '80s. But wouldn't a comedy about a girl blessed with artificial intelligence be even more interesting in the age of YouTube, Facebook, and real actual robots. No, Lars and the Real Girl didn't already do this, but close!
Sabrina the Teenage Witch: Sorry, but we are going to keep talking about the proposed movie where Sabrina comes back as an ass-kicking superhero chick until it actually happens.
The Greatest American Hero: I don't have a lot of brilliant ideas, but this is one of them. Bring back this early '80s show featuring an everyday Joe who also serves as the world's most inept superhero. We saw a similar concept with Kick Ass, but if you strip away all the badassery it could be a story about a modern sci-fi superfan who embraces the goodness in his heart and tries to make a difference in spandex, no matter how much skill he has. It will be the most hilarious movie about a would-be hero since Green Hornet — well, intentionally funny that is.
Hart to Hart: Do you remember this husband and wife detective show with Stephanie Powers and Robert Wagner? I did, as much for their witty banter and glamorous lifestyle as the crimes they solved every week. There was talk in the early 2000s of bringing this back as a show with married gay detectives. I don't know if that's a good enough gag for every week, but it would certainly make for an amazing movie. If the butler didn't do it, certainly the houseboy did!
Battlestar Galactica: This TV is so great that it's come back for two wars between humans and Cylons, so why not a third try? Bryan Singer (of X-Men and Superman fame) has been trying to get his version off the ground (or into orbit) for more than a decade. I would love if he could succeed, because those damn Cylons haven't taken enough of a beating yet.
Awake: Yes, this NBC show only started in March, but it isn't doing so well in the ratings so it might be time to rethink the premise. The idea is that a cop is in a car accident and his wife dies. Every night when he goes to sleep he wakes up in a different reality where his wife is alive, but his son dies. He has to solve mysteries in both, including just why someone thought to cast Wilmer Valderrama in another TV show. This is just a tired gimmick that keeps getting played out week after week, but wouldn't it be great for a thriller as we quickly find out which reality is real and how he ended up in a psychological game of Twister in the first place? Yeah, much better at two hours than 24 episodes.
Friday Night Lights: Before it was a show, this was a movie already, so why not bring it back? Peter Berg, who directed the movie and created the show (and cast all of its alumni in the upcoming Battleship), says he has a script ready and would love to make a movie if he can get the original cast together. Maybe Eric and Tammy moved to Philadelphia (as we saw in the series finale) where they adopt a big homeless kid and teach him how to play football. If it scored Sandra Bullock an Oscar, it might work for Connie Britton too.
Jem and the Holograms: A live action version of this classic cartoon about dueling girl bands would be truly outrageous, truly truly truly outrageous. If Transformers can bring in billions, why can't this, especially when you think of the added iTunes downloads that the Glee generation loves to roll around in like pigs in filth. I'm not sure who is suitable to play Jem, but I would love to see Taylor Momsen get her goth on as Pizazz, the badass leader of the bad girl group The Misfits.
Lost: I demand answers! I still want to know what the numbers are about and why there are polar bears and just what the hell was happening on that island in the first place. Maybe we need a Dharma Initiative prequel to solve some of those pesky riddles for us without stepping on the "everyone goes to heaven" finale that the creators insisted on.
Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan
More:
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Bryan Singer's 'Battlestar Galactica' Movie Deal Lands 'Anonymous' Writer
Friday Night Lights set for movie comeback?

Without question, the biggest release at the multiplex this weekend will be Disney’s John Carter, the big screen, 3D adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic sci-fi novel series John Carter of Mars. The epic scale of the film is matched only by its immense and diverse cast. Along with a number of recognizable acting veterans, John Carter also features a plethora of stars on the rise. Here are a few notables…
Taylor Kitsch
Why not start with the star of the film, eh? Taylor Kitsch, who plays our planet-hopping hero, gleans a lot of attention amongst Austin film and TV geeks for his work on the series Friday Night Lights; based on the 2004 film by Peter Berg. Though born in British Colombia, Kitsch perfectly captures the personality and mannerisms of Texas high school football player Tim Riggins with an added, fascinating edge. The series is filmed here in town. Kitsch has also made his mark on the superhero genre by appearing in Marvel’s 2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine. While I won’t defend the merits of the film itself, Thor knows it was far from Marvel’s best, I would like to see Kitsch’s Gambit character fleshed out a bit more. Rémy LeBeau was easily my favorite X-Men, and it was unfortunate that the only attention paid to him by the franchise was Kitsch’s brief cameo in this less-than-stellar entry.
Lynn Collins
From a Texas adoptee to a true Texas native, the gorgeous Lynn Collins plays the love interest in John Carter. She plays a Martian princess called Dejah Thoris whose beauty, grace, and adeptness with a sword will not leave your consciousness even long after you leave the theater. Coincidentally, Collins also appeared in Marvel’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine; playing Logan’s girlfriend Kayla Silverfox. More likely however, you’ll probably recognize Lynn Collins from her five-episode stint as the unfortunate Dawn in the first season of HBO’s sexalicious vampire series True Blood. She also appeared in 2009’s Blood Creek with Michael Fassbender and 2006’s Bug alongside Ashley Judd; two films we highly recommend.
Samantha Morton
John Carter runs into many strange and interesting characters during his time on the red planet. One such character is the very sympathetic Sola, a female member of the Tharks (a bizarre, green, four-armed race). Though her name may not immediately ring any bells or recall a face, Samantha Morton, who elegantly voices Sola, has been lending her impressive talents to movies and television since the early 90s. After some television work in her native England, including an appearance on the popular BBC series Cracker, Morton appeared in the 1999 Woody Allen comedy Sweet and Lowdown. But arguably her biggest break came when she co-starred in Steven Spielberg’s Minority Report alongside Tom Cruise. Morton played the female telepath Agatha who becomes the key to helping Cruise’s hero solve a decades-old mystery. Morton has since appeared in films such as In America, The Libertine, and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
James Purefoy
When one is facing all manner of aliens, beasts, and humanoid aggressors, it pays to have a skilled warrior by one’s side. Luckily, John Carter allied himself with the skilful and cunning Kantos Kan; a captain of the army of Helium. Portraying Kan is the very talented British actor James Purefoy. Purefoy appeared in several films, among them A Knight’s Tale, Resident Evil, and Vanity Fair, before landing the role of Mark Anthony in HBO’s celebrated series Rome. But if you only seek out one project on Purefoy’s resume, I highly recommend his 2009 actioner Solomon Kane. In the film, based on a comic book by >Conan the Barbarian creator Robert E. Howard, Purefoy plays the titular antihero who sells his soul to the devil and then lives his life trying to win it back through various acts of valor. The film is every bit as exciting and spectacular as a major Hollywood superhero film on a budget a fraction of the size.
Polly Walker
Rounding out our list of John Carter’s talent pool is the stunning Polly Walker. Walker lends her voice and movements to the treacherous Sarkoja, another member of the Thark race. A native of Cheshire, England, Walker is a seasoned veteran of some of the most notable television series on both sides of the pond. Walker appeared in the 2003 British political thriller series State of Play, which was re-imagined as a film in 2009 starring Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck, as well as HBO’s Rome and SyFy’s Battlestar Galactica spinoff Caprica. In addition, Walker appeared as the lovely Cassiopeia in 2010’s Clash of the Titans.

The other day, we got a look at the list of competitors in the upcoming Sundance Film Festival. But we've also got ourselves a fair share of promising premieres, with a slew of stars and directors alike that we're sure to get excited over.
Some of the big names we'll be seeing at this year's Sundance include Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde and Jeremy Irons in The Words, Bruce Willis and Catherine Zeta-Jones in Lay the Favorite, Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan and Adam Scott in Bachelorette, Julie Delpy and Chris Rock in the Delpy-directed 2 Days in New York, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg and Elijah Wood in Celeste and Jesse Forever (co-written by Jones) and Josh Radnor, starring against Elizabeth Olsen, in Liberal Arts, which he wrote and directed.
PREMIERES
2 Days in New York / France (Director: Julie Delpy, Screenwriters: Julie Delpy, Alexia Landeau) — Marion has broken up with Jack and now lives in New York with their child. A visit from her family, the different cultural background of her new boyfriend, her sister’s ex-boyfriend, and her upcoming photo exhibition make for an explosive mix. Cast: Julie Delpy, Chris Rock, Albert Delpy, Alexia Landeau, Alex Nahon.
Arbitrage / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nicholas Jarecki) — A hedge-fund magnate is in over his head, desperately trying to complete the sale of his trading empire before the depths of his fraud are revealed. An unexpected, bloody error forces him to turn to the most unlikely corner for help. Cast: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth, Brit Marling, Laetitia Casta.
Bachelorette / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Leslye Headland) — Unresolved issues between four high school friends come roaring back to life when the least popular of them gets engaged to one of the most eligible bachelors in New York City and asks the others to be bridesmaids in her wedding. Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, James Marsden, Adam Scott, Kyle Bornheimer.
Celeste and Jesse Forever / U.S.A. (Director: Lee Toland Krieger, Screenwriters: Rashida Jones, Will McCormack) — Celeste and Jesse met in high school, married young, and at 30, decide to get divorced but remain best friends while pursuing other relationships. Cast: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Ari Graynor, Chris Messina, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts.
For A Good Time, Call... / U.S.A. (Director: Jamie Travis, Screenwriters: Katie Anne Naylon &amp; Lauren Anne Miller) — Lauren and Katie move in together after a loss of a relationship and a loss of a rent controlled home, respectively. When Lauren learns what Katie does for a living the two enter into a wildly unconventional business venture. Cast: Ari Graynor, Lauren Anne Miller, Justin Long, Mark Webber, James Wolk.
GOATS / U.S.A. (Director: Christopher Neil, Screenwriter: Mark Jude Poirier) — Ellis leaves his unconventional desert home to attend the disciplined and structured Gates Academy. There, he re-connects with his estranged father and for the first time questions the family dynamics. Cast: David Duchovny, Vera Farmiga, Graham Phillips, Justin Kirk, Ty Burrell.
Lay The Favorite / U.S.A. (Director: Stephen Frears, Screenwriter: D.V. Devincintis) — An adventurous young woman gets involved with a group of geeky older men who have found a way to work the sportsbook system in Las Vegas to their advantage. Cast: Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rebecca Hall.
Liberal Arts / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Radnor) — When 30-something Jesse is invited back to his alma mater, he falls for a 19-year-old college student and is faced with the powerful attraction that springs up between them. Cast: Josh Radnor, Elizabeth Olsen, Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney, John Magaro, Elizabeth Reaser.
Price Check / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Walker) — Pete is having trouble resolving a happy marriage and family life with rising debt and a job he hates. When his new boss pulls him into the maelstrom that is her life, money and opportunities come his way, but at what price? Cast: Parker Posey, Eric Mabius, Annie Parisse, Josh Pais, Cheyenne Jackson.
Red Hook Summer / U.S.A. (Director: Spike Lee, Screenwriters: James McBride, Spike Lee) — A young Atlanta boy spends his summer in Brooklyn with his grandfather, who he's never seen before. Cast: Clark Peters, Jules Brown, Toni Lysaith, James Ransone, Thomas Jefferson Byrd.
Robot and Frank / U.S.A. (Director: Jake Schreier, Screenwriter: Christopher Ford) — A curmudgeonly older dad’s grown kids install a robot as his caretaker. Cast: Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler. SALT LAKE CITY GALA FILM
Shadow Dancer / United Kingdom (Director: James Marsh, Screenwriter: Tom Brady) — Widowed mother-turned-terrorist Colette McVeigh has high-ranking brothers in the IRA. When she’s arrested in an aborted bomb plot she must make hard choices, testing family loyalties. Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Aiden Gillen, Domhnall Gleeson, with Gillian Anderson and Clive Owen.
The Words / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal) — Aspiring writer Rory Jansen finds another man's haunting memories in a collection of lost stories and claims them as his own, propelling him to literary stardom. Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde with Zoe Saldana. CLOSING NIGHT FILM
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES
13 Notes: Paul Simon's Graceland Journey / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Berlinger) — Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he sparked for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa, designed to end Apartheid.
About Face / U.S.A. (Director: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders) — An exploration of beauty and aging through the stories of the original supermodels. Participants including Isabella Rossellini, Christie Brinkley, Beverly Johnson, Carmen Dell'Orefice, Paulina Porizkova, Jerry Hall and Christy Turlington weigh in on the fashion industry and how they reassess and redefine their own sense of beauty as their careers progress.
A Fierce Green Fire / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Kitchell) — A definitive history of one of the most important movements of the 20th century, A Fierce Green Fire chronicles the environmental movement’s fascinating evolution from the 1960s to the present.
Bones Brigade / U.S.A. (Director: Stacy Peralta) — When six teenage boys came together as a skateboarding team in the 1980s, they reinvented not only their chosen sport but themselves too – as they evolved from insecure outsiders to the most influential athletes in the field.
The D Word: Understanding Dyslexia / U.S.A. (Director: James Redford) — While following a Dyslexic high school senior struggling to achieve his dream of getting into a competitive college, The D Word exposes myths about Dyslexia and reveals cutting edge research to elucidate this widely misunderstood condition.
Ethel / U.S.A. (Director: Rory Kennedy) — This intimate, surprising portrait of Ethel Kennedy provides an insider's view of a political dynasty, including Ethel’s life with Robert F. Kennedy and the years following his death when she raised their eleven children on her own.
Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap / United Kingdom (Director: Ice-T, Co-Director: Andy Baybutt) — Through conversations with Rap’s most influential artists – among them Chuck D, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, MC Lyte, Mos Def, and Kanye West – Ice-T explores the roots and history of Rap and reveals the creative process behind this now dominant art form.
West of Memphis / U.S.A. (Director: Amy Berg) — Three teenage boys are incarcerated for the murders of three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. 19 years later, new evidence calls into question the convictions and raises issues of judicial, prosecutorial and jury misconduct – showing that the first casualty of a corrupt justice system is the truth.
Source: Indiewire

There's a couple rumors floating around Hollywood this morning.
The first deals with Ryan Reynolds new superhero movie. No, not the Green Lantern (but if interested in that, check out our set visit preview right here!). Instead, the rumors are centered on the upcoming film based on the Marvel antihero, Deadpool.
Robert Rodriguez has played around with the idea of directing the film. First he was, then he wasn't, then he was, and now finally, he's not. So, who is? According to the LA Times and "sources familiar with the situation," the new director is a relatively unknown Swedish commercial and video director: Adam Berg.
And I know what you're thinking -- "who the hell is that?" Well, don't worry, because we had the same thought. But, check out this totally sweet commercial that Berg shot.
Pretty awesome, right? This Berg dude definitely has the talent to put together a stylish superhero movie.
And in other director rumors, Mike Mitchell -- helmer of Shrek Forever After, Surviving Christmas and Sky High -- will supposedly take the reigns of Alvin and the Chipmunks 3. But what's possibly more interesting than the Chipmunks franchise landing an experienced director is that that it will, supposedly, not be in 3D.
Yes, our favorite high pitched singing chipmunks won't be popping out of the screen. And this is pretty surprising considering the entire franchise was started in 3D. Maybe this is the beginning of the end of every movie being converted to 3D? Eh, probably not. But it's a start.
Source: LA Times and Collider

1. Is Machete the First $100m Film for Robert Rodriguez?
The shortanswer to this question is no, though to be fair I'm not counting his Spy Kids work because that's not what people revere him for. The Robert Rodriguez I'm talking about is the guy they asked to produce the new Predators film, the guy who the marketing department figured would sell more than the actual director of the film, Nimrod Antal.
So why is Robert Rodriguez known? I think it's the Tarantino effect. Grindhouse cemented the friends as an entity in pop culture, though Rodriguez's prior work (Sin City, From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado) has found a foothold with genre fans everywhere.
Clearly, Tarantino and Rodriguez are currently on different wavelengths. When Tarantino wants to homage something he also attempts show off a bit of genre evolution, whereas Rodriguez looks to bring the splatterhouse films you saw in the '70s back to life. Quentin has had two "big" earners, Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds which would put him neck and neck with Rodriguez's Spy Kids haul. But Pulp Fiction has remained relevant for over a decade and Inglourious Basterds was a Best Picture contender. Not so much with the Spy Kids franchise.
I suppose my longish point is this: Robert Rodriguez probably isn't going to make it as a director who draws big at the box office based on his name alone. And that's fine, it's not always about the money. But when Machete opens at $22m and brings in $60m overall people might start asking hard questions.
2. And Now We Take You to a Scene from the MovieBattleship.
"C16"
"Hit."
"C17"
"You sunk my battleship!
The film industry could use a solid film about naval warfare. The only problem? The game of Battleship wasn't about that at all! I know, I know, they are going to dramatize the events, and Peter Berg is one of the good guys. Still, it makes very little sense because the name recognition you get from naming your film Battleship is somewhat pointless as:
1. The U.S. Battleships are now all museums
2. No one who played the game thinks "I MUST see a film about guessing random numbers!
It's a conundrum. You could have named your film War at Sea and gotten the exact same amount of initial interest. Battleship does nothing for you, unless you count people curious as to why you'd start with such a terrible idea. I mean, why not named your film Destroyer?At least the Navy still has those in service!
Oh, I see. They've cast Rihanna, Brooklyn Decker, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. If you can't win them over with story, baffle them with eye candy. It's a page stolen from Michael Bay's playbook, only without the robots, but with the hefty budget.
Battleship is due during the summer of 2012 ... unless the accountants find out what's going on first.
3. Live Blogging the Black Swan Trailer!
The trailer sweeping through the Internet is Black Swan. Let's break this thing down!
:01 - :18: I don't know about you, but whenever someone starts telling me about their dreams I immediately tune out. Because it's always completely nonsensical, mostly because it's a dream. But I'm willing to meet you halfway Natalie Portman. After all, you're girl who gave us the best SNL short in history.
:19 - :26: Vincent Cassel adds a superior element of creepy to everything he does. And if you put string music behind him? Forget about it. Creep city. I think it's the hair that does it. You don't get to that level of coifed without also having little lists of "people to kill" laying around the house too.
:27 - :38: Darren Aronofsky is one of the best young directors out there. I would have loved to see his take on Robocop.Sadly, all the money in Hollywood is being funneled towards Mattel board game rights.
:38 - :45: I knew it! In one fell swoop Cassel just belittled Portman and boosted the esteem of Portman 2.0, Mila Kunis. Trouble is a 'brewin.
:46 - :56: Well that's just borderline sexual harassment. No wonder Vincent got into the ballet game.
:57 - 1:05: Someone, or something, is clawing at Portman's shoulder. If it's one of the lesser Baldwin Brothers I'm outta here.
1:06 - 1:10: Lesson: Don't let people cut your nails.
1:11 - 1:22: When someone says "I have my ways" you can generally finish the sentence "And those ways just happen to be psychotic."
1:23 - 1:27: I would agree that she's after you. So WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T KISS HER. Oh. Never mind then.
1:28 - 1:31: Nobody is after me? The haunting string music and monster you just showed would indicate otherwise. Wait, unless I'm the monster at the end of this book?
1:32 - 1:40: Rapid flashcuts. Those never indicate stability and happy endings.
1:41 - 1:57: I can see a visit to the emergency room in Portman's near future. "So you pulled a little tree spear out of your shoulder and then your eyes turned all RED?? Wow. Mmmhmmm. Can I see your insurance card, dear?"
Still, it's Darren Aronofsky, and he hasn't made a bad film yet. We'll take the journey with him here too, if only to see what sort of eye drops cure THAT mess up.
On that note, I hope you all have a great weekend, sans trips to seek medical treatment!
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Laremy is the lead critic and senior producer for a website named Film.com. He's also available on Twitter.